This New World
by alosercanwin
Summary: What would happen if Hermione never got her letter to Hogwarts? What would happen if because Hermione never attended Hogwarts, Harry couldn't defeat Voldemort? What would happen if Draco decided he didn't like the world as is and wanted to change it?DM/HG
1. Her routine

_Hey guys! I've had this idea for a while now and i finally decided to sit down and write out the first chapter. Hope you guys like what you're going to be reading so far and if i get enough reviews on it, i'll continue. Any questions or comments, don't be afraid to ask : )_

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Twenty two year old Hermione Granger stood with her back to the counter as she sipped at her morning tea, before she would grab her purse and walk out her front door, down two flights of stairs that led to the ground floor of her apartment building, and then walk the couple hundred feet to her car, a blue Lotus Elise, before she would battle her way through traffic to get to the business section in London. Once there, she would make her way towards the parking lot out front of the Montgomery Building, and then make her way towards her office on the fifth floor.

She would greet everybody she passes with a nod and a small smile before pushing her office door open and making her way towards her mahogany desk, a name tag stating her job position as one of the writers for one of London's least popular newspapers: The Daily, perched neatly at the front for all to see.

After getting settled, she would sit down at her desk chair and go through her notes she was given so she could begin to write about the things going on in the world around her. She would endure some few choice worlds from her boss, write some more, then take an elevator to the ground floor, walk two blocks to grab her usual lunch: a caesar salad with grilled chicken, then head back up to her office. Once she finished eating, she would complete her article a few hours later, pack up her things, and make her way to her car.

Once home, she would greet her ginger cat with a quick scratch behind the ear, then proceed to her room where she would kick her heels off, throw her clothes in her clothing basket and change into her workout outfit. She would feed her cat, throw on her sneakers, then go out for her three mile run before she would return home, shower, then cook herself up some dinner. The rest of her evening was spent on her couch, a pint of ice cream in her hand, her cat lying next to her, eager to be pet, and the remote in her hand unoccupied by her ice cream. She would flip through the channels of her television only to find nothing on.

At around ten, she would flick off the television and retreat to her bed, brushing her teeth before hand, and setting her alarm for six in the morning, where she would wake to repeat the same daily routine.

Hermione Granger did the same thing everyday, seven days a week, twelve months a year. She didn't have a social life because she didn't want one. She didn't have one all through school, so why start now? She made her education her number one priority and look where it landed her: a low paying job for one of the worst newspapers in the city. But hey, a girls got to start somewhere. She wasn't expecting to be fresh from the University and make _that_ much money, was she?

Well, she certainly hoped she would. Becoming a writer was her dream job. But dreams can be smashed in an instant, especially when you live the life that Hermione Granger did. Her dream was smashed by her boss and the low pay. There was no excitement in her job… her dream… her life. She couldn't help but feel like she was missing something in her life. Everyday she would wake up with the same gut feeling that everything wasn't right in her world. She couldn't help but feel like she didn't belong in the boring old world of crime, fashion, politics, fear, and hatred. Hermione didn't know how to explain it, but she just felt like something was… missing.

Telling herself that she was crazy and her non-social life was making her that way, she shook the idea from her head. But this morning, the idea just didn't seem to want to budge, almost like it was meant to be there.

Hermione licked her chapped lips as she dumped her tea down the drain. She checked her hair and makeup in the mirror before walking towards her front door, grabbing her purse on the way out, and giving her cat one last pat on the head. She stretched her hand for the door handle when suddenly…

Knock, knock, knock.

Somebody knocked on her door lightly, barely loud enough for her to hear it, but she did hear it. She stared at the door confused. Who could be knocking at her door? She didn't know anybody, except her coworkers, but they didn't know where she lived. She was so busy trying to figure out who the knocker was that when it came again, she jumped back a couple feet. Licking her lips one more time, she slowly reached for the handle and pulled it open.

A man, who looked to be about her age, stood before her. He was wearing a long black cloak of some sort, dress pants, and a white button up shirt. His hair was a platinum blond, sleeked back with a few hairs coming loose from the gel, pointed features, and silver eyes that mesmerized Hermione. "Hermione Granger?" He asked in a silky, smooth voice.

"Yes." Hermione said finally finding her voice. "Can I help you with something?"

"My name is Draco Malfoy. I need to speak to you about something important."

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_So the first chapter was crazy short, but i promise other ones to come are going to be longer. I just wrote this one out to see how popular it would be before i killed myself over a crazy long chapter. _

_Remember to review guys, and ask question if you're confused with anything. I'll be glad to answer them. _


	2. In my world

_Last Chapter: A man, who looked to be about her age, stood before her. He was wearing a long black cloak of some sort, dress pants, and a white button up shirt. His hair was a platinum blond, sleeked back with a few hairs coming loose from the gel, pointed features, and silver eyes that mesmerized Hermione. "Hermione Granger?" He asked in a silky, smooth voice._

_"Yes." Hermione said finally finding her voice. "Can I help you with something?"_

_"My name is Draco Malfoy. I need to speak to you about something important."_

* * *

Hermione licked her lips and inhaled a small breath as she looked the blonde up and down one more time. "I'm sorry." She said with a small smile, running her hand through her brown curls. "I'm just confused as to where I know you from."

"You don't." The blonde said, a small smile plastered on his face.

"Then, how may I ask, did you find my apartment? Better yet, how did you even know that I lived here if we've never met before?" Hermione asked, one hand now holding her front door open only enough for her to look out at the blonde, and her other resting on her hip.

"It's a long story. Do you think that I could maybe come inside?" He asked, glancing over her shoulder and into her apartment.

"I'm sorry, Mr.…"

"Malfoy."

"Mr. Malfoy. I really need to be getting to work now." Hermione stated, glancing down at her watch around her wrist. "And to be completely honest with you, I'm not comfortable inviting a complete stranger into my house to… chat. So… if you'll excuse me."

Hermione smiled slightly, then cautiously stepped outside her door, locked it shut behind her, moved around the blonde, and made her descent towards the stairs. "You could call out." He yelled back after her, but Hermione kept walking, pretending she hadn't heard him. "You could use a day off, especially since the last time you spent a day to yourself was the day before you started working as a writer for The Daily,… seven months ago."

His words made Hermione freeze where she stood. She slowly turned around to face the man still standing in front of her front door. "What did you say?"

"I said you needed a day off. You haven't had one sine you started working." The man said, a smile still plastered on his face.

Hermione stared at him confused, finding herself lost for words. "H-How… how do you know that?"

"I know a lot about you. I know that you wake up every morning and drink a cup of tea before heading off to work, where you push yourself through stress and the reality that maybe becoming a writer was a bad decision. I know you eat a grilled chicken Caesar salad for lunch every day before you endure a couple more hours of what you consider to be pointless news and a waste of time. I know-"

"How do you now all this?" Hermione interrupted, slowly approaching the blonde before her.

He, however, continued like she never spoke in the first place. "You come home every night and feed your cat, Crookshanks, a name you have no idea where you got from, then go out for a three mile run. Once you're home-"

"Stop."

"You cook yourself up a meal, then sit down and watch the moving pictures with an ice cream in your hand."

"Have you been stalking me?" Hermione asked, now a few feet from the blonde, but he just stared back at her. "I suggest you leave… now, before I call the cops." Hermione turned on her heel and made her way, once again, towards the stairs.

"I also know that you go to sleep every night and dread waking up." Hermione found herself stopping again only this time turning to the man in wonder. "You don't want to wake up and look around at the same boring world and the same boring routine. You wake up every morning and you know that deep down inside… something is missing." Hermione stared at him, opened mouth, at a complete loss for words. "Please. Just give me half an hour and then if you don't want to hear anything more of what I have to say, I'll leave and you can get on your way to work." He said with a kind smile.

Hermione bit her lip and looked around the hallway before turning her attention back to the blonde. She exhaled a deep breath then approached him slowly. Digging inside her purse she dug around for her keys. Once she found them, she pulled them out and slowly stuck them in the key hole. She exhaled another deep breath and turned to the man one more time before unlocking the door and walking back inside her apartment. She held the door open and ushered the man inside. He thanked her and then walked through the door frame, glancing around the apartment as Hermione shut the door behind him. "Nice place."

Hermione just nodded, placing her purse on the door handle of her hallway closet and then walking into the kitchen, ushering him to follow her. "Please, take a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"Two sugars please." He said, pulling out her kitchen chair and sitting down on it lightly. He crossed his right leg over top of his left and cupped his hand together in his lap.

Hermione quickly fixed the tea pot on the stove and while waiting for the tea to get done, she got out two cups and her sugar dish, placing it on the counter. Distributing the proper amount of sugar in each cup, she slowly approached the man, placing his tea in front of him and then taking a seat at the farthest possible chair from the man at the table. Hermione didn't take her eyes off him, not even while sipping her tea. She kept telling herself that she couldn't trust the man, but something deep down inside of her kept telling her that he was okay and that he wasn't there to harm her. Hermione, for once, didn't push her feelings away and decided to trust them. "So… what is it that you had to tell me that was so important that now I'm late for work?" She asked, taking another small sip of tea.

The man placed his tea on the table the rubbed the bridge of his nose with his middle finger. "I don't really know where to start. Let me ask you something. Do you believe in purpose, destiny, and happy endings?"

"I don't quite know what you're getting at here sir."

"Please… call me Draco."

"What is the purpose of your question Draco?"

"What _is_ the purpose of my question? What is the purpose of me being here? Or better yet, what is my purpose?" He asked, now uncrossing his legs and leaning on the table, looking Hermione keep into her eyes.

"How am I supposed to know your purpose? Your purpose is something you have to discover for yourself. Nobody else can discover it for you." Hermione said, leaning back in her chair.

"So you do believe in purpose?"

"I just know that everybody has a purpose, Mr. Malfoy."

"What's yours?" He asked casually, tilting his head to the side and watching as Hermione hacked at her brain for the answer to his question. "Are you destined to be a writer for The Daily your entire life?"

"I sure hope not." Hermione said under her breath.

Draco smiled at let a little laugh escape his lips at her answer. "So you haven't discovered your purpose yet?"

"Not everybody discovers their purpose. Discovering your purpose just kind of… happens."

"Like it was _destined_ to happen?"

"What is this, twenty questions?" Hermione asked frustrated, crossing her arms over her chest in aggravation. "Everything you're asking me is pointless. Nobody actually thinks about their purpose or what they are destined to do. What you're asking me if I believe in, is the kind of things we are taught to believe as little kids. When princesses and fairy godmothers and all that other nonsense that doesn't really exist is all we can think about and it's all we see. But then we grow up and we realize that it was nothing but our imaginations guiding us to believe in something we wanted so bad to exist." Hermione bit her lip and shook her head, turning her attention to a scratch on her table, allowing the words she spoke to run through her brain. "It's all rubbish; destiny, fate, luck, and purpose. I know that now because I can see the future written for me as clearly as the same news day after day that I always have to find ways to re-write."

"And what is your future?"

"This." Hermione said glancing around the room and then back at the blonde who hadn't taken his eyes off her.

He licked his lips and then took a drink of his tea before placing it back down on the table. He exhaled a deep breath and then rested his arms on the table, leaning forward again. "You sit there and tell me that this is your future, even though you hate it. You sit there and tell me this is your future even though every single night you want nothing more to escape this world you say is written out so clearly for you. If you hate it so much, then why don't you do something about it instead of just sitting there? Why don't you go out and find that missing piece that you want so desperately to find?"

"I've looked, and it's not there. That is why I have given up and that's why I sit here." Hermione said pissed off, standing up and walking towards the sink. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stared out the tiny window in front of her sink that led to the busy street below.

"You still haven't answered one of my questions." Draco said after a couple minutes of silence.

"What's that?" Hermione snapped, back still turned to him.

"You don't believe in purpose or destiny, but how about happy endings?"

Hermione turned to him slowly, staring at him like he was crazy. "Happy endings? What do you think this is, a fairy tale? I've already told you that the things in fairy tale's don't exist. Things like princess, dragons, elves, magic, unicorns, a kiss to break the spell, evil stepsisters, witches, wizards, and… god knows what else, just _don't_ exist. There just stories told to entertain the mind of a child."

"What if they weren't? What if you were wrong?"

"I'm never wrong." Hermione snapped, turning her back on him again and staring out the window.

"Yes you are." He snapped back.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked turning on her heel to face the man.

"I said that you're wrong. And I can prove it. Almost all the things you said didn't exist a couple seconds ago have existed your whole life. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean that they aren't there."

"Then prove it. Prove to me that _one_ of those things I named earlier exist."

"Fine." Draco said standing up. Pushing the chair back in, he turned his attention to the room. After studying all the objects in the room he turned to Hermione and gave a small smirk before reaching into his cloak and pulling out a long wooden stick. Hermione looked at him with confusion and actually considered that she had a sick and crazy person inside of her home, until….

Before her very eyes, Hermione watched as Draco flicked the stick lightly and every single appliance she had inside of her kitchen turned on. Her toaster oven had got a red glow in the bottom, the flames from her stove top were all lit, staring up her tea top, her mircrowave was automatically set to pop popcorn, and even the ice maker inside of her fridge had started making banging noises from dropping ice into the bucket.

Hermione turned to the blonde in wonder, the smirk on his face even bigger now. Noticing that her mouth was open, she closed it slowly, then licked her lips as she watched him flick his wand one more time and everything was back to normal. "How… did you-"

"You have searched your whole life for a different world because you felt like you didn't belong in the one you're living in now. The reason you have felt like this is because you were right. You don't belong here Hermione Granger."

"Then where do I belong?" Hermione asked slowly.

"In my world. You, Hermione Granger, belong in the wizarding world."

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_Hey again! We're finally getting down to the good stuff. Next chapter you'll find out why Draco is actually there and what role our strictly "muggle" Hermione has to play in it. _

_Please remember to review guys! _


	3. People are scared

_Last Chapter: Hermione turned to the blonde in wonder, the smirk on his face even bigger now. Noticing that her mouth was open, she closed it slowly, then licked her lips as she watched him flick his wand one more time and everything was back to normal. "How… did you-"_

_"You have searched your whole life for a different world because you felt like you didn't belong in the one you're living in now. The reason you have felt like this is because you were right. You don't belong here Hermione Granger."_

_"Then where do I belong?" Hermione asked slowly._

_"In my world. You, Hermione Granger, belong in the wizarding world."_

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Hermione didn't know how long she stared at the man in her apartment who called himself Draco Malfoy, but for some reason, she couldn't pry her eyes from him. Her brain had been turning its gears, trying to figure out a logical explanation for what she had just seen and what he had just told her, but she just couldn't figure one out.

She ran a hand through her hair slowly before exhaling a deep breath and making her way towards the table. Sinking down into the seat, she finally averted her eyes from the blonde as they landed on her tea cup still steaming from the tea she only put in a mere five minutes ago. Reaching her hand to the tea cup handle, she grasped it and slowly brought it to her mouth, taking a sip and allowing the hot liquid to burn her throat as she swallowed it. Placing the tea back on the table, she turned to the blonde and finally spoke. "This is unbelievable."

"I can image what's going through your head right now." Draco said kindly, taking a seat across from her.

"No I mean it really is unbelievable. I don't know how you just did what you did with that… stick, but I just can't believe that there is a 'wizarding world' out there. I mean, it's impossible, somebody would have to find it eventually." Hermione said determined to prove the man wrong.

"We blend in pretty well and we have our ways of keeping the muggles from findi-"

"Muggles?" Hermione interrupted.

"It's what we witches and wizards call non-magic folk." Draco stated calmly as Hermione just stared at him like he was an alien from another planet. "And besides, we have a Ministry of Magic that keeps the muggles from finding out about us."

"So what are they going to do with you?"

"Excuse me?"

"For telling me about this 'world'? What is your punishment going to be?"

Draco laughed. "Right now, it's a bit more complicated than that. But that's the reason we need you, Hermione Granger."

"What could you possibly need me for? I'm just a writer for a crappy newspaper." Hermione crossed her arms and leaned back against the chair.

"No… you're a witch who had her life tinkered with so that you wouldn't be able to go to Hogwarts and become one."

"No!" Hermione yelled frustrated. "I'm a writer!"

"No, you're a witch." Hermione grunted and closed her eyes, running a hand through her hair. "Look, I still have a lot I need to talk to you about but I can't do it if you don't believe me about the wizarding world."

"Darn right I don't believe you! Who the bloody hell would believe something like this?"

"It happens every year Hermione. Muggleborns get letters from Hogwarts, people exactly like you who have never heard of our world except in fairy tales, and our Ministry has to go and persuade them that they belong in our world."

"Then how come you're here and not the Ministry?" Hermione snapped.

"Because the Ministry has forgotten about you. When you were eleven and your letter to Hogwarts was stopped from getting delivered to you, the Ministry just assumed that you didn't want to attend Hogwarts."

"Then how did you find me?"

"I found you because we need you to help save our world." Hermione couldn't help but laugh at how serious he had become and how much she seemed to be stressing him out. "Please, if you still don't believe what I'm telling you, then get your coat on and follow me." Draco stood up suddenly and started walking towards the door.

"Follow you where?" Hermione asked, standing up as well and glancing at him waiting for her at her front door.

"We're in London already so were not far from the Leaky Cauldron." Draco said more to himself them to Hermione.

"The Leaky what…?"

"Cauldron. Now come on and get your coat on."

Hermione stared at the blonde as she bit her lower lip. She wanted so much to believe him. Believe what he was saying just meant that she had always been right about her feelings. It meant that something else really was out there and she was meant to be a part of it. It was missing her this whole time just like she was missing it. But could she really believe him? She was right with what she said. It was unbelievable. A whole other world out there filled with magic and who knows what else, and she was supposed to be a part of it? Did she really want to take the chance to find out if he was lying to her and was probably some criminal who escaped from the crazy house, or did she want to take the chance and for once have faith in what her heart was telling her to believe in, no matter what kind of jam it got her into?

Shaking her head she slowly approached the blonde then turned towards her closet and grabbed out a light wind breaker. Placing her arms inside the holes she turned back towards Draco. "I must be crazy." He just smiled at her and led the way out her door, down the hallway, and then the two flights of stairs that followed.

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They had walked for about half an hour. Hermione feet were killing her from the heels she was wearing she glared at the back of Draco's head, cussing at him under her breath for him not telling her that the walk would be this long and that she should change into more comfortable shoes. Draco suddenly took a turn to the right and Hermione glanced up at the street sign that said: Charing Cross Road. She exhaled a deep breath and had to pick up the pace to catch up with the long legged blonde. "Where in the bloody hell are you taking me?" Hermione asked.

Draco made a sudden stop, causing Hermione to bump into the back of him. He glanced up a broken down old shop with boarded up windows and a sign that looked like it was about to fall from its hinges. He lifted his arm and pointed to the building. "Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron." Draco said kindly before walking towards the door and stepping inside the building. "You coming?" He asked, still holding the door open for him. Hermione bit her lip and glanced around the street. It was nearly deserted and nobody was really paying them any attention.

She nodded slowly and made her way towards Draco. He smiled at her and walked inside, Hermione close on his tail. When the door shut behind them, Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. Inside was what appeared to be a little bar and a dining room set to the side. There were few people inside, but the few that were, all wore the same kinds of clothes that Draco wore. Hermione allowed her eyes to wander the room as Draco stared at her with a smile across his face. "This is crazy." Hermione said, watching a guy at a table near where they were sanding flip the pages of his newspaper without even touching it.

"It's a famous place- the Leaky Cauldron. It's normally a lot busier then this… but these days-" Draco stopped in mid sentence and turned towards the man at the bar, nodding his head. The man didn't return the gesture but just glared at Draco. "Come on." Draco said, walking towards the back of the room.

Pushing through a set of doors, Draco led Hermione out into and small alleyway with nothing but a trash can sitting in the corner and a brick wall. Draco approached the brick wall and Hermione stood behind and watched as he picked his wand out from his pocket. He grasped the handle of his wand and pointed it at the brick wall, tapping the bricks in a clockwise motion, three up then two across. Hermione couldn't help as her mouth fell to the floor and the brick wall peeled away, revealing an archway that led to another path with what appeared to be colorful shops.

Draco turned to face Hermione and allowed a laugh to escape his lips at her surprised expression. Without having to be told, Hermione slowly stepped forward through the archway and almost fainted at what she saw before her. Shops stood against every wall, selling things that Hermione didn't even know could be sold. Owls hung from large cages while rats and toads sat in small ones, books holding potions and spells lined the window shops, and even little telescopes and quills were sitting in carts outside of the stores. "What is this place?" Hermione asked, finally turning to Draco.

"It's called Diagon Alley." Draco said nodding, glancing around the place with a frown on his face.

"It's amazing." Hermione said, entertaining herself by watching a cat jump on top of a trash can and glare up at a huge barn own in a cage.

"Yeah. You should see it when people aren't afraid to come out of their homes." Draco said under his breath.

Hermione turned to him confused. "Why would people be afraid to come from their homes?"

Draco turned to Hermione slowly. "Do you believe me now, about the wizarding world?" He asked quietly, approaching Hermione.

"I would have to be crazy not to." Hermione said with a small smile. "But… you never answered my question."

"I can't answer that here. We need to go back to the Leaky Cauldron. It's too dangerous here." Draco said turning on his heel and heading back through the still open archway.

"Too dangerous?" Hermione repeated under her breath, following Draco back inside the pub. The archway closed behind them and Draco led Hermione to the back of the pub. They sat at a small table, hiding in the shadows in the corner. "Why are you so secretive?" She asked cautiously.

"Because this world isn't what it used to be. Diagon Alley is usually so crowded with people that you have to force your way through the crowd. It's usually covered in laughter and little kids begging their moms and dads to buy them brooms. Bells that hang from the doors to the shops used to be always heard in the distance, people constantly going in and out. Our bank never used to the be the only reason that people came to Diagon Alley, and when they did come, they didn't run with fear into the shops, only staying a couple minutes to grab the things they need them run out. People are scared." Draco finished seriously, now resting his arms on the table.

Hermione gulped, not liking the way he talked about the used to be Diagon Alley, a place she just saw and found to be amazing. "Why are they scared?" She asked cautiously.

Draco looked around the room slowly, making sure the few people in there weren't paying attention them, before turning back to Hermione and allowing one word to escaped his mouth in a whisper that Hermione could barely make out. "Voldemort."

* * *

_Mean cliffy! I know, i'm sorry. _

_Thanks to those who reviewed! I was really surprised by how nice you guys were and how much you guys liked it. So keep reviewing because it really helps to motivate me to write better and longer chapters._

_Review please!_


	4. Who was the girl

_Last Chapter: Hermione gulped, not liking the way he talked about the used to be Diagon Alley, a place she just saw and found to be amazing. "Why are they scared?" She asked cautiously._

_Draco looked around the room slowly, making sure the few people in there weren't paying attention them, before turning back to Hermione and allowing one word to escaped his mouth in a whisper that Hermione could barely make out. "Voldemort."_

* * *

Hermione's eyes focused on a not in the wooden table. Her mind was racing as she tried to remember where she had heard that name before. A dream maybe? It was strange how that one name seemed to bring all her memories and thoughts up about the world she was in now, a world she wanted so much to exist but didn't think possible. She allowed her eyes to travel around the room now, glancing at the people inside it, all deep in a conversation, drinking tea or what looked like a tall glass of dark, non-transparent tea, or just enjoying the atmosphere in the room, an atmosphere filled with magic.

She turned back to the blonde in front of her. He was staring at her with a raised eyebrow, looking at her like he was trying to figure out what she was thinking. "I'm sorry." Hermione apologized quietly. "That name just sounds… familiar. Like I heard in a-."

"A dream." Draco said, cutting her off with a smile. "The mind is a marvelous place, Hermione. It knows the path it was supposed to take, and if steered in the wrong path, it's still set on the one it belongs in. You weren't meant to be a muggle your whole life, and your mind knows that. Knowing that, it takes the incidents you should know about and makes you see them, most of the time in a dream."

"So, who is the Voldemort character?" She asked slowly.

"It all started a long time ago. Voldemort had acquired followers, and slowly, but surely, they stared to take down what was good in the wizarding world. Some people, the brave ones, stood up to him, but they didn't live very long after Voldemort found out they were the ones trying to stop him. One of the people who did decide to stand up to him was the Potters. Lilly and James, and they had a son who they named Harry. It was a Halloween night when it happened. Betrayed by a friend, Lilly and James were killed by Voldemort, but then the most peculiar thing happened. Voldemort went to kill Harry as well, probably wanting to wipe the Potters from this world, but he didn't succeed.

"When he cast the killing spell on Harry, Voldemort vanished out of thin air, leaving Harry with nothing but a lightning bolt scar on his forehead and title of 'the boy who lived'. Voldemort wasn't seen for another ten years, not until Harry went off to Hogwarts."

"How did he survive?" Hermione asked, her full attention on the story that seemed so familiar to her.

"I don't think anybody really knows for sure, but most say it was love. You see, before she was killed, Lilly cared about nothing except her son. She gave her life for Harry because she loved him, and this in return saved Harry's life in the long run."

"And where, might I ask, do I come into play?"

"Well you see, when Harry went to Hogwarts, he obviously made friends. His best friend was a boy who went by the name of Ron Weasley, and they did everything together, including defeat Voldemort several times. In their first year, they conquered several hard, mind boggling task, just to get an elixir of life so that'll way Voldemort wouldn't be able to get it. In their second year, they went into the Chamber of Secrets and Harry defeated a basilisk, a giant snake that could kill you if you looked it directly in the eye, all to stop Voldemort from killing muggleborns.

"In their third year, they helped save Harry's godfather, who was accused of killing Harry's parents. Fourth year, Harry was entered into the Triwizard tournament by a follower of Voldemort, although they didn't know this at the time, and out flew a dragon, swam in the black lake to save his friends, made it though one of the hardest mazes of all time, that not only test your memory, but you magical knowledge as well, and was lucky enough to escape Voldemort. Fifth year, him and his friends broke into the ministry of magic and in the long run, they stopped Voldemort from hearing the prophecy about him and Harry."

"And in what would have been their seventh year of Hogwarts, Harry and Ron went and searched for horcruxes, parts of Voldemorts soul that he put into objects. Once they destroyed them all, or thought they did, they returned back to Hogwarts where Harry faced Voldemort once again, only this time, something happened. Harry attacked Voldemort and was successful, but Voldemort still went on living. You see, they forgot a horcrux, and now they don't know what to do. They are out of ideas and out of help."

"I still don't see where I come into play." Hermione said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms.

"There was a reason that Harry couldn't defeat Voldemort once and for all on that night five years ago. In his first year, when he befriended Ron Weasley, he was supposed to befriend another, a girl. The girl he was supposed to befriend was going to be the brightest witch of her age. She would be the brains to his operation and the secret behind his success. This girl, however, never got her letter to Hogwarts. A follower of Voldemort intercepted the letter and stopped the girl from getting it, and in the long run… stopped the girl from ever going to Hogwarts. You stop the girl from going to Hogwarts, you stop the girl from becoming best friends with Harry Potter. You stop the girl from becoming best friends with Harry Potter, and you cause him to lose the one person who knew practically everything there was to know about the wizarding world. By intercepting that girls letter, he stopped Harry Potter from defeating Voldemort."

"W-Who was the girl?" Hermione asked, pretty sure she already knew.

Draco smiled at her before taking a sip of his drink then placing it back on the table. Licking his lips he exhaled a deep breath. "You." Hermione stared at him like he was crazy, and he just looked back at her with a smile on his face and a pleading look in his eyes. "You never got your letter to Hogwarts and because you didn't you couldn't help Harry defeat Voldemort."

"And why are you telling me this now?" Hermione demanded.

"Because we need your help." Draco said, his smile fading at the scared look in Hermione's eyes. "Without you the wizarding world will never see a time where we aren't afraid of leaving our homes, where we won't.-"

"Stop." Hermione said, standing up quickly from her seat, knocking the chair she was previously sitting on over. She held a hand out towards Draco, telling him to freeze as he went to stand up as well. Running a hand through her hair, she shook her head as she took in all the information. "This is crazy." She said biting her lip nervously. "Two hours ago I was waking up in my bed in my crappy apartment getting ready to go to a job that I thought I would have for the rest of my life, and now you're telling me that I'm a witch who has to save a world I wasn't even sure existed until about ten minutes ago!"

"Hermione, please keep your voice down." Draco said, looking around the room and smiling slightly at the people staring so they would return their glances towards what they were previously doing.

"No, I will not keep my voice down!" Hermione yelled even louder, now getting rude glances from all the people around. Draco quickly stood up and grabbed Hermione by her wrist, dragging her out of the pub and back into the alley that led to the entrance of Diagon Alley. "Will you get your hands off me?!" She yelled as he drug her towards the alley.

Reaching the privacy of the empty space behind the Leaky Cauldron, Draco released his grip from Hermione just as she yanked her hand from his. "Why did you have to get loud like that?"

"Because this is insane and you're insane if you expect me to believe this!" Hermione said, placing her hands on her hips.

"How can you not believe it? After everything I just showed you and told you, can you honestly not believe what I'm saying?" Draco asked kindly.

Hermione studied his face for a few minutes, not sure how to answer. Her whole life she had wanted this, wanted something other than the life she was living, the life she was pretending to enjoy. Now that it was here, knocking on her doorstep, she wasn't so sure she wanted it anymore. She wanted a new life, but coming into it now, coming into it at a time like this, just didn't seem right. "I'm sorry but I can't do this." Hermione said quietly. "I'm going to leave. I'm going to go and try and forget about all this." Hermione gave Draco one more apologetic look before walking past him and towards the pub exit.

"Where you going to go?" Draco asked before she could walk more than a couple feet. Hermione stopped walking, but kept her back to Draco, licking her lips. "Are you going to go back to your normal life, your normal life as a writer for the newspaper? Are you going to go back to following the same daily routine you have followed since you finished school? Can you really go back to that now? Will you really be able to live that life, especially since you know this one exists?"

Hermione turned slowly, facing the man before her, staring at her with determination in his eyes. "You're asking me to save a world I know nothing about. You said I was supposed to be the brightest witch of my age, but the fact is I'm not."

"Not yet." Draco said with a smile, approaching her slowly. "Please Hermione." Draco said once he was directly in front of her. "You belong in our world. You don't belong with all those muggles, living their lives following the same daily routine, day after day." Hermione licked her lips and glanced around the room nervously. "We need you. Without you the wizarding world will never be the same."

"This is cra-"

"I know it's crazy." Draco said, cutting her off. "It's going to be dangerous to, but I'm going to be there for you. I'm going to be at your side the entire time, helping you along and turning you into that amazing witch you were meant to be."

"How do you know all this?"

Draco looked at her nervously before speaking. "I just do, okay?" Hermione shook her head slightly, turning her attention to the brick wall that hid Diagon Alley. She heard Draco exhale and felt a set of hands grab hers. Shocked, she turned her attention to her hands and saw that Draco had his wrapped tightly in hers. Looking up into his eyes, she saw for the first time what she thought was fear. "Please. I saw that look in your eyes when you saw Diagon Alley. You belong here and you know it. I just need you trust me."

Hermione gulped. She took one look in the direction of the exit to the pub, the exit back into her normal life. She would go back to her apartment, her job, her cat, her ice cream, and the boredom she had, the fear of never getting a better life coming true. And then she turned towards the brick wall behind Draco. Inside it was her life, or what was supposed to be her life. It was filled with magic and the prospect of staring over. But it was also filled with terror and danger, and this scared Hermione more then she showed it. Exhaling a deep breath, Hermione turned towards Draco and his words hit her. Would she really be able to live the life she had, especially since she knew that the world she was currently standing in existed?

Giving the pub exit one last look, Hermione knew her answer. She nodded slowly to Draco before speaking in a slow and quiet voice. "I trust you."

Draco's smile reached his ear as he released the grip on Hermione's hand. "Thank you."

Hermione nodded. "So… where to now?"

"Now we go and get you a wand so I can start teaching you some basic magic."

"A wand?" Hermione asked, trying to hide the excitement that was suddenly bubbling inside her, an excitement she didn't even know existed until just now.

Draco nodded. "A witches or wizards most powerful and reliable source of magic. However, bad news is that almost all the wand makers are either on Voldemort's side, killed or kidnapped, or to afraid to come out of hiding and end up like all the other wand makers. The good news, however, is that I happen to know where a wand maker is, and he's the best of the best. So, if you'll just take my arm…." Draco said, holding out his arm for Hermione to wrap hers tightly around his.

"Take your arm?"

"Yes, I'm afraid we're going to have to apparate there." Hermione looked at Draco confused, having no clue what apparating was. "Oh, right." Draco said with a small laugh. "It's a mode of transportation. Basically we'll disappear here and pop up in the other place we wanted to go like that." Draco explained, snapping his fingers. "You're going to have to hold onto my air tightly though, and I should warn you, it'll feel like you're being sucked through a tube."

"And where, may I ask, are we going?" Hermione asked, now feeling unsure about using apparation to get to the place they had to go, but wrapping her arm tightly around his.

"Shell Cottage. Home of Bill and Fleur Weasley and currently the temporary home of Mr. Ollivander, England's best wand maker." And with a pop, Hermione and Draco disappeared from The Leaky Cauldron to land in the outskirts of Tinworth, Cornwall, England, by a small cottage overlooking the sea.

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_Hey Guys! Let me know what you think please :]_


	5. I was a writer

_Last Chapter: "And where, may I ask, are we going?" Hermione asked, now feeling unsure about using apparation to get to the place they had to go, but wrapping her arm tightly around his._

_"Shell Cottage. Home of Bill and Fleur Weasley and currently the temporary home of Mr. Ollivander, England's best wand maker." And with a pop, Hermione and Draco disappeared from The Leaky Cauldron to land in the outskirts of Tinworth, Cornwall, England, by a small cottage overlooking the sea._

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Hermione found herself breathing heavily as they popped onto the grass. She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair, trying to calm down her heart that was beating so loudly she could hear it through her ears. "Sorry." She heard Draco mutter softly. "I guess I should have explained apparation more carefully to you."

Hermione opened her eyes and glared at Draco, but the glare didn't last very long. Upon looking up at Draco, Hermione had also spotted the view that was behind him. With curiosity and the thought of the amazing view, Hermione slowly approached Draco, only to stand to the side of him and facing the other direction. Draco turned slowly and looked out at what Hermione was seeing.

They were standing on a huge cliff, overlooking the sea. Hermione looked down at the sea smashing into the rocks and sand, creating a monstrous sound, but in some way, relaxing. The sea wind blew through their hair and Hermione couldn't help but inhale the salty breeze coming off from the endless sea. "It's so beautiful here." Hermione said quietly. She turned and looked at Draco, a small smile on her face, but he wasn't paying her any attention. While Hermione looked out at the endless sea before them, his eyes seemed to be locked between where the rocks and the water met, the most dangerous place along the shore line.

After a few minutes of silence, Draco finally spoke. "We should go inside." He said quietly, finally averting his eyes from the rocks and turning quickly on the spot, walking away from the cliff. Hermione stared at him for a few minutes in wonderment, before turning back to the sea for one last look and then quickly walking to catch up with Draco. As she walked closely behind him, she couldn't help but stare at the little cottage they were heading towards. It walls seemed to only be made up of shells.

They approached the front door and Draco extended his hand, forming it into a fist and knocking promptly on the door three times. They waited about a minute, but nobody came to the door. Just when Draco was about to knock again, the door flung open and a tall, slim, red head stood before them, deep scars all over his face, deforming it, and holding a wand out a couple inches from Draco's nose. Hermione took a step back, hoping to avoid any curse that might be sent from the wand, yet Draco didn't seem to panic. After a couple seconds, the man lowered his wand and just glared at Draco, rolling his eyes. "Oh… it's you."

"Hello, Weasley." Draco said with a smirk. "I told you I would be back."

"And I told you not to come back, so why are you here." Bill asked, not removing his eyes from Draco.

Draco merely looked at Hermione, kept his gaze on her for a few seconds, then turned back to Bill, who was now staring at Hermione as well. "I found her."

Bill studied Hermione very carefully, looking her up and down. Hermione looked at the ground and licked her lips nervously. When she finally looked up, she met his gaze and decided to give him a warm smile. Her smile caused him to quickly look away and turn his attention back to Draco. "You're sure this is her?" Bill asked. When Draco nodded, Bill ran a hang through his ginger hair and exhaled a deep breath.

"We just need to see Ollivander, Weasley." Draco said, his voice turning impatient.

Bill merely shook his head. "I'm sorry Malfoy, I can't do that. I already made my decision the last time you were here and I'm sticking to it." Bill grabbed the door and went to close it quickly but Draco stuck his hand out to stop him from closing it and placed his foot in the door frame.

"Don't do this Weasley." Draco said, using all his strength to push the door open enough and slip inside. Hermione watched them battle it out, having no clue what was going on. "I told you I would be back." Hermione heard Draco say from the other side of the door. All signs of struggle were up and Hermione slowly made her way towards the front door that was now open ajar. Hermione reached out and pushed the door open some more so she could slip inside, listening to the arguing going on from the inside of the house as she did so.

She walked inside slowly and shut the door. When she turned back she couldn't help but smile slightly at the homey touches all over the small cottage. "I already told you I don't trust you, no matter how many times you say you never were a deathea-." Bill's definition was cut off as Draco quickly pushed him against the wall, holding his wand to the red head's throat. This brought Hermione back to earth and she quickly ran over to help.

"Don't…call…me…that." Draco said through his teeth, glaring at Bill. Hermione slowly extended her hand and placed it on Draco's arm, the same one he was holding his wand with.

He seemed to flinch slightly at Hermione's touch, but didn't take his eyes off of Bill. "Come on, Draco. Lower your wand." She said kindly. "If you want somebody's help, you shouldn't threaten them with a piece of wood."

Draco shot Hermione a look of utter disbelief. "Piece of wood?" Draco repeated, making sure he heard her right. "Hermione, a wand isn't just a piece of wood! It's made up of a bunch of other things, magical things, like unicorn hair for example. Do you really think that witches and wizards can use their magic through a _piece of wood_?" Hermione dropped her hand from Draco's arm, looking at him like he just made fun of her intelligence, which he actually had. "You can't use you're magic without your wand, and now this stupid weasel," Draco said, looking at Bill quickly before turning back to Hermione. "Won't even let us see the one guy who can help us make yours."

"Well… there has to be other wand makers. I mean, he can't be the _only_ one." Hermione said crossing her arms over her chest.

"He is." Draco snapped, glaring back to Bill. "But I don't care what Ginger here says. We had a deal." Draco said the last part in a whisper, only loud enough for Bill to here.

"Deals off." Bill said, finally finding his voice and bravery, pushing Draco off of him.

Draco only laughed at him. "Fine. I guess ickle Ronnikins and scar face are just going to have to deal with the fact that their beloved Order doesn't even know what they're up to."

"They don't need you, just like we don't. I never understood why the order used you anyway."

"Because they're smart. I'm the only one who can ever find them." Draco said crossing his arms and staring Bill down.

"You know, if you really were smart, and you wanted the Order to trust you, you would tell us how you track them down so easily."

"See Weasley, this is why you're kept out of the inner circle of the Order. You're stupid." Draco said, smirking at Bill.

Bill took a couple steps forward until he was about a foot from Draco. "What did you call me?"

"Stupid."

"Why you-" Bill sneered through his teeth, grabbing his wand from his pocket and holding it out towards Draco.

"Oh, stop the dramatics, Weasley." Draco said rolling his eyes and looking extremely annoyed at Bill.

"I was head boy, you hear me? Head boy!" Bill said, face turning red from frustration.

"And then you, a 'head boy', went to work for Gringotts." Draco said, a small smile approaching on his face from the knowledge that he was annoying Bill.

"I was a curse breaker." He said through his teeth, hands shaking and trying to prevent himself from cursing Draco to next week.

"Point proven." Draco said under his breath. "Don't you want Voldemort gone Weasley? Or maybe I should let the Ministry know that a Voldemort supporter may live here."

"I want you out of my house, now!" Bill yelled.

"What is all ze yelling about?" Hermione, Draco, and Bill all turned their attention to the far corner of the room, where a tall, skinny, and beautiful blonde had just entered the room. She looked at Bill with a puzzled look on her face, but then her eyes met Draco and her confused expression fell. "Oh." She said simply. Catching the look of frustration in Bills eyes, she placed the towel she was carrying in her hands down on the window sill and made her way cautiously towards him. "William, why are you pointing your wand at 'im?

Bill didn't look at the girl, instead he kept his eyes locked on Draco, not wanting to let him out of his sight. "Go ahead 'William'. Tell Fluer about how you don't want Voldemort dead." Draco said with a smirk.

Fluer placed a hand over her mouth and gasped, looking up at Bill with surprise. Bill quickly turned to his wife and gave her a reassuring look. "I want him dead Fluer. Don't let this… boy allow you to think otherwise."

Draco only laughed. "If you want him dead then how come you won't let us in the room to see Ollivander?"

"Because I don't trust you." Bill said through his teeth.

"Trust isn't an issue here." Draco said quite calmly.

"Of course-"

"Do you want Voldemort dead of not?" Draco questioned, cutting Bill off mid sentence.

"I just told you th-"

"Then let me see Ollivander!" Draco practically yelled. "Here I am, knocking on your door telling you I have the one thing that Potter and your _brother _need to stop him," Draco pointed at Hermione, and Hermione licked her lips nervously. "and you won't even grant me this one thing! She is the key to their success, but she won't be unless she has a wand! Stop being so bloody hard headed Weasley and just let us go see Ollivander!"

Bill inhaled a deep breath and looked at Draco intently for a few seconds, probably trying to figure him out, but being unsuccessful. Peeling his eyes away from Bill, he turned and looked at Hermione. Hermione forced a kind smile, hoping to win him over with that. He turned away from her quickly and looked back at Draco, finally lowering his wand. "Fine." Bill said shortly, looking like he regretted it the second he said it. "But I'm warning you Malfoy, no funny business."

"We're just getting a wand Weasley. Get your knickers out of that knot their in." Draco stated, looking at Hermione and signaling for her to follow him as he pushed his way past Bill and Fluer.

Hermione followed quickly, smiling a thank you at Bill as she passed him. Hermione ascended the stairs after Draco, staying close behind him. When they reached the top, Draco took a couple more steps before reaching a door. He knocked lightly and then without waiting for a response, pushed the door open. He walked inside slowly, and Hermione followed after him like his shadow. Once she was inside, Draco turned towards her and nodded at the door, telling her silently to close it. Hermione quickly obliged, then turned back and watched as Draco approached an old looking man, lying in a bed, obviously in recovery from an injury he sustained a while back. "Hello Mr. Ollivander. Sorry to barge in on you like this." Draco said quietly.

Hermione stayed back the door, watching from the shadows of the poorly lit room. "Is there something I can help you with, boy?" The older man asked, watching Draco intently. Hermione couldn't help but notice that he held some sort of restraint against Draco, and looked at him with fear in his eyes.

"I know that I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, and probably the last one you want to hear this from, but… I need your help." Mr. Ollivander just looked up at Draco, an unreadable expression plastered on his face.

"Tell me…. Why should I help you? You didn't help me when I was locked in your family's dungeon and being tortured for information." The wand maker said quietly.

"Please, Mr. Ollivander. This isn't the time to talk about that. I made a mistake and now I, no… _we_ really need your help." Draco turned towards Hermione and nodded his head for her to walk over. Hermione slowly approached the bed. "She has the power and knowledge to end this, Mr. Ollivander. She just needs a wand."

"And you expect me to make one for you?" Draco nodded silently at Mr. Ollivander, who then turned towards Hermione and looked her up and down. "What's your name dear?"

"Hermione Granger, sir." Hermione said with a smile.

"And do you believe what this boy here has been telling you? Do you really feel like the one who can put a stop to all this madness in the world?" Hermione help but feel as though the old man could look inside her as he studied her eyes deeply. And somehow, this gave her the courage to speak honestly, not to mention Draco's eyes that were now looking at Hermione so intently they might as well be imbedded in the back of her head.

"I feel… something. I'm not sure what it is, but I always knew growing up that I didn't belong in the world I lived in. I had no friends and nothing seemed right. Coming here, hearing about this world, I feel somehow completed." Hermione found herself looking at Draco. "I believe what he's saying, not only because he's very convincing, but because somewhere, deep down in the bottom of my heart, I know that this is where I belong. And I know that I have to face whatever lies ahead, no matter what kind of danger comes with it."

Draco merely smiled at Hermione before she turned back to face Ollivander. He was looking at her with a satisfied look on his face. "Very well then. I will make your wand. Can't promise anything amazing though. You see, my dear, the wand chooses the wizard. And making the wand won't be all too easy, especially since I will be making it from my sick bed."

"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander." Hermione said with a kind smile.

Mr. Ollivander nodded, then turned towards Draco. "Tell William that I will need to see him. I will need some supplies from Diagon Alley before I can make her wand."

Draco nodded and then turned towards the door, Hermione following him. They closed the door quietly and then approached the stairs to make their descent, leaving Mr. Ollivander to rest. On their way down, Draco turned towards Hermione and gave her a quick smile. "Nice choice of words back there. You really hooked him on that."

"Well," Hermione said shrugging. "I am a writer."

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_I hope you guys are enjoying reading this story as much as i'm enjoying writing it._

_Any ideas as to what Draco is up and the story behind him helping Hermione?_

_Let me know! And please remember to review guys!!_


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